The First Day
by shadowjack12345
Summary: Set after the Last, our heroes return to Konoha. I needed to get this out of my system after finally watching the Last, but I'm actually quite pleased with it, I think. Apart from the Last, I've only read the manga, so there might be some small conflict with anime filler. Chiefly Naruhina, a frisson of Sasusaku in there as well. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**First Day**

 **Not my normal area I know but I have to get it out my system ^_^**

 **I'm not even going to try and get any japanese honorifics in here for fear of making a horrible mess of it lol. I should probably mention that I've read the manga but haven't watched the anime, so I might miss details from filler stuff.**

Kakashi Hatake, the sixth Hokage, sat in his office, staring at the wall. The world had very nearly come to an end in a way much more final even than Madara's planned world-wide genjutsu and, once again, the world had been saved by Naruto, his former student. He had long ago given up on having expectations of Naruto - he would surprise no matter what. As he pondered, a black bird zoomed in through the window and flew straight into a blank scroll that hung on the wall. With a splat, the creature morphed into ink and covered the scroll, soon resolving into letters. Kakashi stood and took the scroll, replacing it with another blank, and sat back at his desk. His eyes showed the smile beneath his mask as he read, glad first and foremost that his shinobi were well, even if he was sure Naruto and Hinata might be unaware Sai included their relationship in his report. He sat back and chuckled. Naruto and HInata, eh? Once again, Naruto had surprised him.

"Just come in if you want to read it properly, Sasuke," Kakashi said. A figure hopped in through the window, utterly silent.

"I'm impressed, Kakashi. How did you know?" Sasuke Uchiha asked with genuine curiosity: it had been a long time since someone had detected him without him wishing it. Kakashi turned to face him.

"Honestly? It was a hunch."

* * *

What a mission!

Six shinobi didn't even try to hide their relief as three great birds, supplied by Sai, flew them home through the night. The lead bird carried Sai himself and the team leader, Shikamaru Nara. The second carried Sakura Haruno who, in her role as team medic, had Hanabi Hyuga with her, making sure there were no complications from her recent trauma at the hands of Toneri. The third, closely following the second, carried Hanabi's sister, Hinata Hyuga, and the worlds foremost maverick ninja, Naruto Uzumaki. They sat rather closer than the other pairs.

Hinata watched her sister pout and frown as Sakura checked her eyes one more time and couldn't help but smile: her sister was safe and whole. She sighed and let her head fall back on Naruto's shoulder as his arms carefully encircled her waist from behind. She managed to look up at him only to find him looking right back. Her smile grew and, to her delight, Naruto blushed and grinned right back, the pair of them giggling quietly. Their entire trip home had been like this: holding each other and smiling and laughing and blushing. Thus, when Konoha was in sight, their gladness was tempered by a slightly unreasonable disappointment. Given Sai's report to him via one of his ink creatures, Kakashi was waiting from them when they arrived at the gate. The six ninja hopped to the ground and the three great birds vanished. Kakashi noted that Naruto and Hinata still held hands but elected not to mention it. Yet.

"Welcome back. And good work," he said, coolly. Shikamaru smirked at him.

"Good work? That's what you call stopping the Moon from crashing into the Earth?" he asked.

"Hm? Oh, no, I was talking about persuading Nine Tails to try his hand at calligraphy," he joked. "As for the rest, I've read Sai's report and you all performed splendidly. I'm proud to call you Konoha shinobi." They all smiled at their leader. "We'll debrief properly tomorrow but I have to speak to Hinata and Hanabi now."

"Can't it wait, Kakashi?" Naruto grumbled. Kakashi dropped his smile, glancing at Naruto as he approached Hinata.

"No. Hinata, Hanabi... your father is waiting for you in the hospital. He's alright, but it seems he fought this Toneri before Hanabi was abducted. I'm sure he'd be glad to see you." The Hyuga sisters gasped at the news, Hanabi breaking into a run immediately. Sakura followed, fully intent on making sure Hanabi was properly examined once they reached the hospital. Hinata hesitated for a moment, looking back at Naruto. He nodded at her.

"I'll be right behind you," he said simply and the pair of them leapt after Hanabi. Kakashi watched with mild amusement before turning back to the remaing two, Shikamaru and Sai.

"Go get some rest, you two," he prodded. Shikamaru stretched his neck and started walking. Sai also began walking towards his own home, though he talked as he did so.

"Rest? After Naruto and Hinata gave me so much inspiration?" he muttered.

* * *

Hiashi Hyuga was a tough man.

That was the fate of a clan leader in Konoha - duty before all else. He had inflicted pain on his own twin brother when he looked at Hinata with ill intent. He had indifferently disregarded Hinata only a few years later in favour of his second daughter, much more like him and better suited to his role. Each time he acted against his family for the good of the clan, his heart rebelled... and each time he ignored it. Duty superseded all else. The clan comes first.

Or so he had always been taught.

In the last several years, he had started to wonder... what if the clan didn't have to come before family? What if clan and family became the same thing? His brother had died for him not out of loyalty to the Hyuga, but out of love for his brother. He had died for family before clan. That had been one of the few occasions where the mask of the cold clan leader had slipped. Years later, he saw the damage the clan had done to his nephew during the chunin exams. He had always known of Neji's talent and had heard of Hinata's defeat by his hand, though that had been no great surprise. What had surprised him was Neji's hatred of Hinata, punishing her in the clan's place. The story of Hizashi's sacrifice had come out during Neji's bout with Naruto, and Hiashi felt something he was unaccustomed to: shame. He felt Hanabi's questioning eyes on him, knowing he would need to give her an explanation later. After Neji's surprise defeat, Hiashi sought him out, unsure of what to say or do. In the end, all he had was the truth and had let it spill out of him as he touched his head to the ground in supplication. That had been the turning point. Neji was suddenly and keenly aware that this was not his leader but his uncle, a man who had concealed his grief with duty and obligation, perhaps even from himself. Their reconciliation was brief, as Hiashi left to engage the invaders during Operation: Destroy Konoha.

After the violence, Hiashi had learned of Hinata's condition during Neji's fight and felt shame once more. He arranged for her to be moved to a recovery room in the Hyuga estate, along with Neji. She woke up fairly quickly, immediately quailing at the sight of her father reading in the corner. He stood and walked toward her, she bowed her head and squeezed her hands in the fabric of her sheets.

"F-father! I... I am sorry," she said, automatically apologising. Hiashi took a seat by her bedside.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked.

"I collapsed during the match. I-it was unbecoming of... of a Hyuga and-"

"That is enough," Hiashi commanded quietly, but not harshly. The tone of his voice gave Hinata pause and, daringly, she looked up into her father's face. He looked so _sad_. He swallowed before speaking again. "I... I am sorry, Hinata. Please. Forgive me." Hinata stared at him, wide-eyed. The words had not come easily, but luckily his daughter was as compassionate and understanding as her mother. She smiled and wiped at her eyes.

"Thank you, Father. I forgive you," she said, simply. Neji, in a bed nearby, had also apologised, if more eloquently, vowing to protect her once more. It had been difficult for them, but as days went by they became a true family, culminating in Hinata attending Neji's training with Hiashi, a smile on her face.

The recollection caused Hiashi to smile himself - his decision to train Neji, a member of the cadet branch had cast the difference between clan life and the real world into sharp relief. To Konoha at large, it only made sense that Neji received the best training. To the clan elders, it was scandalous. For once, clan and family were the same thing, he told them. Nurturing Neji's talent only strengthened the Hyuga, after all. They complained and they grumbled and they protested and they whined - Hiashi went ahead anyway. He finally learned what it was to be a father... and then Neji had died.

Neji gave his life to save Hinata just as his father had saved Hiashi. The truly strange part was that Hizashi had, not long before, been resurrected as an enemy and Hiashi had finally been able to tell him of the change in their family, that their children fought side by side by choice, not because of obligation. Hiashi's smile vanished as he recalled Hinata stepping in front of Naruto to shield him, demonstrating courage and devotion to humble any Hyuga he had known, only to be matched by her cousin. The memory caused a sickening mix of relief and sorrow. The memory of Hinata slapping Naruto to his senses, rallying him despite her own obvious grief, filled him with pride. She was a leader after all.

His remembrance was interrupted by a knock at the door, he turned his head as the door opened and Hanabi appeared, worry plain on her face. He started to rise, even though it was a struggle, and got his feet under him. Hanabi stepped inside, haltingly. Even though they were closer these days, her father was still a reserved man. He stumbled and fell to his knees just as he reached her.

"Hanabi..." he said, voice trembling. His hands gripped her shoulders and he stared at her, unblinking. Then, with desperate strength, he pulled her to him and held her tightly, almost to the point of discomfort. Hanabi, usually so self-assured, closed her eyes and cautiously raised her hands to hold him in return. From the doorway, Hinata observed with amazement. Behind her, Naruto watched the scene with a smile and gently nudged Hinata forward with his elbow, causing her to gasp in surprise. Hiashi looked up at the sound and extended a hand to her. She hesitated for a moment before taking it but, when she did, Hiashi yanked her toward him and held her with the same zeal. "My daughters..." he muttered. Tomorrow, Hiashi Hyuga, clan head would return home. Tonight, Hiashi Hyuga the father held his family and wept.

Naruto pulled the door closed, but not completely, then turned and leaned back against the wall. Sakura, who had been following Hanabi, stood across the corridor from him. She watched him as he stared into space, a tiny smile on his face.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you? Even though she's right there, you're daydreaming about Hinata," she accused. To her everlasting amusement, he blushed and fidgeted, but he didn't deny it.

"I guess I am," he laughed. "I don't know, it's like... it's like everything just changed. One minute I'm just me and this is my life, training, missions, bad guys... the next minute Hinata's there and... and my future just changed completely, at least as I see it." Sakura blinked at him.

"You're being awfully serious! You guys just got together, there's no need to rush anything," she cautioned.

"I know, I know," he said, falling quiet for a minute. "When we got caught up in that genjutsu... I got stuck in Hinata's memories," he confessed, quietly. Sakura gasped and thought back.

"Her scarf... it had gotten tangled around the two of you. It must have acted like a bridge and connected the two jutsus around you," she said. Naruto shrugged.

"You're the expert," he admitted with a grin, which quickly faded. He glanced at the door next to him. "It's weird - even before I got sucked into hers, my own memory was about Hinata anyway."

"It was?" Sakura asked with a pleased smile.

"Yeah, that time at the chunin exam she gave me that healing salve. It popped up in her memories too... or my stuff was getting mixed in, there was stuff from Ichiraku as well, but it was different," Naruto said.

"Different how?" Sakura needled.

"Well.. there was this one time Ino was saying I had thing for ramen and I said I loved it. Then it sort of happened again except... except Ino was talking about Hinata. And I said I... I uh... I got to see you walking her home, too - and telling her how dumb I was - thanks for that, by the way," he said, aiming a smirk at her. Sakura shrugged unabashed.

"After seeing all that, you going to disagree?" she challenged. Naruto laughed.

"No, I'm not. I wish I could. I wish I had noticed her sooner. She's loved me for so long... it isn't fair!" he said, his fists clenching. "I owe her so much." Sakura frowned at that.

"Don't do this because you feel obliged, Naruto. That really would be unfair," she warned. Naruto grinned at her.

"Don't worry. I mean it, Sakura. I got to see our past all over again. She was so shy when we were young she barely registered. To go from that to jumping in front of Pain for me, all while confessing..." he said, trailing off.

"One of the bravest things I've ever seen," Sakura agreed.

"Maybe you were right, Sakura. Maybe I didn't know what real love felt like. Maybe that's why I couldn't answer her. But after going through it all again, it was like I had an example from her. When you woke me up... there was something there. I looked at her and there was something there. And, even though it was a mission, when we were checking out all those ruins and stuff, it was fun! I made a decision right then: when we got home, I was going to ask her out. Then, that night Toneri took her, I managed to blab that I... that I'd fallen for her while talking about saving Hanabi," he laughed. Sakura shook her head.

"Classic Naruto," she chuckled. Naruto's merriment faded quickly.

"I thought she'd left me. I'd never felt that way before: like I was full up of anger but hollow at the same time. I know now she did it for Hanabi... I can't imagine what it felt like for her to go with him after that. She's braver than I am," he said, quietly. Sakura remained quiet - she knew the rest of the story. "Thank you, Sakura. For telling me how dumb I was being, thinking she left me for Toneri."

"I'm always there to tell you when you're being dumb, Naruto," Sakura joked, raising a smile out of the atypically morose Naruto.

"Oh, I know it," he laughed. They lapsed into a comfortable silence, each of them smiling gently. Sakura watched as his hand dipped into his pocket and retrieved a patch of ragged, red fabric. Hinata's scarf. "I... I love her, Sakura. I love her." Sakura's hand flew to her mouth - Naruto's eyes shone with unshed tears.

"Naruto..." she breathed, her other hand reaching toward him. He quickly laughed and rubbed his eyes.

"Heh... sorry about that," he said. Sakura shook her head.

"No need. It's like you always say: nothing wrong with crying when you're happy!" she reminded him. He laughed properly then, loud and bold. They both turned to the door when Hinata's voice rang out.

"Sakura!" They both raced in to find the Hyuga sister supporting their father's weight, clearly unable to stand for long. She gave him a quick once over and breathed in relief.

"He's alright. Some abrasions and bruises but he's mainly just exhausted. You'll have to spend the night here, Lord Hiashi. You must have been pretty far out to be so tired after coming home, even with your injuries." The three of them helped him to his bed and made him comfortable. Hiashi was smiling, almost looking embarrassed.

"I didn't even make it on my own. I had to be rescued," he said.

"Who rescued you, Father? We should thank them," Hinata said, indicating herself and Hanabi. Hiashi smiled - even he knew how this name might affect his company.

"Sasuke Uchiha." Sakura froze. It was a good thing Hiashi was already in bed or Sakura would have dropped him. Naruto's face matched hers. She backed away from the bed, toward the door.

"Um... excuse me, I have to..." she bolted through the door. Naruto looked between the door and Hinata, conflicted. Hinata laid her hand on his arm.

"It's okay. Go," she said. Naruto struggled for a few moments... before he relaxed and laughed.

"Nah. If he wants to talk he can come to me for once." he said, smiling down at Hinata. "I got more important stuff to do." Hinata smiled radiantly up at him, causing his own grin to brighten further. Hiashi caught the exchange, sensing the change between them. He cleared his throat, making the two of them jump and face him.

"Naruto Uzumaki," he said, sternly. Naruto approached and practically stood at attention.

"Um... yes. Sir?" he tried. Hiashi's face softened.

"Thank you for rescuing my daughters. Hinata has told me of her... predicament with Toneri and how you saved her. Thank you." It was only a small gesture, given that he was lying down, but Hiashi closed his eyes and nodded his head in an approximation of a bow. Naruto bowed clumsily in return.

"Oh, uh.. you're welcome Lord Hiashi, sir," he said. Hiashi smiled.

"If you are willing, would you please escort my daughters home?" he asked.

"Sure thing! Um.. sir," he said. Hinata giggled into her hand at Naruto's awkward but adorable attempt at propriety. The two sisters bade their father goodnight and left through the door as Naruto held it open. Just as he was about to follow, Hiashi spoke again.

"Oh, Mr Uzumaki? One more thing."

"Yeah? Oh... Yes, Lord Hiashi?"

"Treat my daughter well," he said, gently. Then, less gently: " **Or else.** " Naruto broke into a cold sweat, gulped, nodded his understanding and sprinted from the room. Hiashi found himself laughing.

* * *

Hanabi sighed. She suspected there would be a lot more of this in the near future, deliberately walking ahead as Naruto and Hinata walked hand-in-hand and whispered and giggled in each others' ears. After a moment of thought, she decided that wouldn't be so bad. In what seemed like no time at all, they had reached the Hyuga Estate and, when she turned to face them, Hanabi saw Naruto and Hinata looking uncertainly at each other. She decided to help them out and get a little light teasing in at the same time.

"You want me turn around while you give him a goodnight kiss?" she suggested with a grin. Naruto spluttered and waved his hands while Hinata blushed incandescently.

"No!" she cried. Naruto calmed down and rubbed the back of his head, secretly disappointed by Hinata's negative response. Suddenly, he felt Hinata's arms wrap around his waist as she hugged him close. "I don't care if you see us..." she said softly before standing on her tip-toes and gently kissing Naruto's lips. She drew back and giggled nervously at his face: red, with wide eyes and a daft grin. "Goodnight, Naruto," she said before taking Hanabi's hand and walking in through the gate. Some moments later, Hinata laughed as she and Hanabi heard him cheer loudly.

"Yeah! WOOOO!" he cried before pushing all of his chakra into his feet and leaping half the distance to his home in one bound. "YEAH!"

* * *

"YEAH!"

Sakura turned and looked up, just catching the silhouette of her teammate sail across the sky, whooping and cheering as he went. She shook her head with a small smile, though it didn't stay for long - Sasuke had eluded her. She had run right to Kakashi's office and had him confirm that Sasuke had indeed been in Konoha, that he had even smashed a large meteor fragment headed for the village and that he had stayed to confirm his friends were alright, learning as much from Sai's report. Then he had vanished, long before Sakura returned home. She opened the door and let herself in, kicking off her boots and locking the door before switching on the light. She jumped back, her hand reflexively going for a kunai when the light revealed someone standing in her apartment. He watched her impassively as she fought to get her breath back.

"Sasuke..." she finally said. He nodded solemnly.

"Sakura," he replied. For a long moment, she simply stared at him, burning his image into her memory. "How is Naruto?" he asked. She sighed in disappointment.

"He's fine. He's great! He has a girlfriend, if you can believe it," she said, walking past him and removing her gloves and weapon pouches.

"Yes... Hinata. I read Sai's report," he said. Sakura paused.

"Sai included that in his report? Wait, never mind, of course he did," she said to herself, rubbing her temples at Sai's harmless but occasionally annoying boundary issues. She looked up and caught her breath - Sasuke had moved closer.

"And you, Sakura? Are you alright?" he asked, his tone a little less clinical. Cursing herself, she blushed under his gaze.

"Y-yes. I'm okay. A little tired after looking after Naruto but... okay," she said.

"Tea?" he asked.

"What?"

"I've picked up some interesting teas during my travels. Would you like to try some?" he asked again. Sakura smiled at him.

"Oh yes. Very much," she answered. He smirked and stepped back, carefully removing his travel gear. Sakura beamed, though she wished he could sometimes speak plainly - he wanted to stay, at least for while, just as much as she wanted him to stay. He laid out several small paper packets on her table and went to boil some water.

* * *

Hinata was glad, truly, to get out of that dress. Even though Toneri had been recalcitrant in the end, the dress would always be tainted by the forced marriage she almost went through. She would burn it tomorrow. She donned some plain sleepwear and grabbed a futon - she and Hanabi had agreed to share a room tonight, so Hinata would host Hanabi, given that her room was the largest of the two. She unrolled the futon on the floor just as her sister entered wearing similar sleepwear but yellow where Hinata's was white. They were both weary and so there was little conversation as they doused the lights and bedded down. Hinata found a solid object on her bed as she climbed in, and held it close to examine it - it was a chunk of moon rock that must have been caught in the dress as she removed it. She lay back and stared at the dark ceiling - what a mission! She had rescued her sister and been rescued in turn by the love of her life from an evil fortress on the Moon, and had him confess his love to her. It was like a fairy tale. It was unbelievable! She set the rock on a table at her bedside, just to prove to herself in the morning that it had all really happened.

* * *

Sakura watched Sasuke with resignation as he donned his travel garb once more. They had made a perfunctory attempt at trying all of the different teas but it had only been an excuse to begin with. They had merely enjoyed each other's company for as long as they had.

"Do you really have to go?" Sakura asked. Sasuke turned and faced her.

"I do," he said. "But it is still hard to leave." Sakura smiled at the admission. He seemed to ponder for a moment before stepping close to her and taking her chin in his hand, tipping her face up to his. He paused when her finger landed on his lips.

"Hold up. This isn't just a rivalry thing, is it? Naruto gets a girlfriend so-"

"Naruto doesn't know I'm here. If you don't tell him, I won't," Sasuke declared, pulling back from Sakura's fingers, though they hovered between their faces. Sakura blushed again and lowered her hand, leaning her head to one side and closing her eyes. He kissed her then, gently and, Sakura thought, lovingly. There was a rush of wind... Sasuke was gone.

* * *

Hinata Hyuga woke up with a smile, stretching langurously in her bed. She looked over at her bedside table - there was no moon rock. Her heart leapt up into her throat. Had she dreamed the whole thing? Her hand went to her mouth and something grazed her lips. The moon rock. She had grabbed it in the night. She rolled away onto her side and held the rock to her heart. It had all happened. It had all really happened.

Hanabi woke to a strange sound, a sobbing, hiccuping sound. She sat up and pushed her hair from her eyes, looking around in confusion. She realised and remembered she had shared Hinata's room last night, and turned to find her sister curled into a ball on her bed, facing away from her and shaking. Hanabi got up to help her apparently distraught sister.

"Hinata! Hinata, what's wrong?" she asked, resting her hand on Hinata's shoulder. Hinata allowed herself to be turned to face Hanabi - she was crying... but she was smiling. She was laughing! She sat up and wrapped her arms around Hanabi, still laughing. Hanabi accepted the hug but gently extricated herself after a few seconds. "Why are you...?"

"He loves me..." Hinata sobbed, bursting into new, joyful laughter. "Naruto loves me." She wiped at her eyes, though the tears continued to fall. Hanabi shook her head and lightly punched at Hinata's arm.

"Of course he does!" she laughed. Hinata fell back, gazing up at the ceiling, still laughing and still crying. The pair of them eventually decided to get ready. Hinata still had to attend the debriefing and Hanabi wanted to go to the hospital to check on their father. The pair of them washed, dressed and then met up again for breakfast. Hinata had smiled throughout. Eventually, it was time for Hinata to leave. She bade farewell to Hanabi and left the estate. There were a lot of people on the streets, celebrating the end of the threat of the Moon. Hinata headed toward the crowded road...

"Oi, Hinata!" Kiba cried out, stopping her in her tracks.

"Oh! Kiba. Shino," she said, acknowledging her friends.

"We heard you got back last night. Nice job on saving the world!" Kiba laughed. His laughter stopped when Hinata surged forward and grabbed them both in a brief but heartfelt embrace.

"I'm glad you're both okay," she said. Kiba and Shino glanced at each other.

"Uhhh... thanks!" Kiba answered. "We're glad you're okay too, hehe."

"Likewise," Shino offered. Hinata beamed back at them and Kiba, smiling back, gave her a sidelong glance.

"You're upbeat today. Did something happen?" he asked. Hinata merely blushed and giggled. "Wait... Naruto was with you on this one, right?" Hinata nodded. "Oh, so you got to spend some quality time staring longingly at the orange dork-kage?" he laughed. Hinata didn't rise to his bait but answered his question.

"Well... yes and no," she said. Kiba's smile gave way to a perplexed look.

"What does that-"

"HINATA!"

All three turned to the milling crowd, catching sight of a blonde head popping up every now and then, waving wildly at them. Hinata giggled and blushed - he had come looking for her!

"Naruto!" she answered. Kiba's confusion deepened. This couldn't be what it looked like. They watched Naruto appear and disappear a few more timed before he finally grew tired of the crowd and leapt up from the ground, bouncing off an adjacent rooftop and landing right in front of Hinata with a 'thud'. He stood up with a grin.

"Morning, Hinata," he said.

"Good morning, Naruto," she returned. She saw him fidget and bounce on his feet a little, his eyes wandering around her face - he was working very hard to restrain himself. Hinata made the decision for him and flung her arms around his neck. With a laugh, he wrapped his own around her waist and lifted her, spinning them both around. Kiba stared in blank disbelief. Naruto stopped spinning and lowered Hinata back to the ground but he didn't let go. He was still grinning but Hinata sensed the question in his eyes, especially when his gaze flicked toward her friends. She answered him by releasing his neck, placing her hands on his cheeks and drawing him down to her, kissing him softly. She pulled away and looked up into his eyes, seeing a reflection of her own feelings in them. After years of hoping and fighting and struggling and, it had to be said, two of the worst-timed confessions in history, he was here. He was here in her arms at last. Once again, the moment overwhelmed her and the tears resumed. Her arms moved around his neck and held him close once more as she cried joyfully. She felt his lips touch the top of her head before he rested his cheek on the same spot.

"Hinata... I love you," he whispered. She laughed through her tears.

"Oh, Naruto. I love you, too. I love you so much," she replied, holding him even more tightly. Naruto thrilled at her words, his smile broadening into a joyful grin. He squeezed her for a moment before scooping her up into his arms, bridal style. Hinata, her arms still around his neck, gasped at the unexpected shift. "Naruto!" she laughed. "I can get there on my own." He shrugged.

"I know," he said simply, before leaping up onto Konoha's rooftops and bounding away to the Hokage tower. Kiba stared with his jaw hanging open.

"Did you see... did they... did he.. did she... THEY FORGOT ABOUT US!" he cried.

"This surprises you?" Shino said, evenly. Kiba took a deep breath before smirking at his friend.

"I guess it doesn't. Hinata and Naruto... It actually, finally happened," he said.

"I am happy for her," Shino said, subtly rubbing at the corner of his eye.

"Are you crying?" Kiba asked incredulously. Shino merely repeated himself before walking away.

"I am happy for her." Kiba laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.

"You big softie! Come on, let's go train. I'm pumped up! After all, if Naruto can get a girlfriend, anything's possible, right Akamaru?"

"WOOF!"

 **Addendum**

"Sai, you put us in your report?"

"Yes, and all the briefs I wrote for our allies. And the daimyos. And the press."

"..."

"..."

"WHAT!?"

 **And there you have it! I'm sure there are inconsistencies with the manga, the anime and the movies but I humbly ask your forgiveness. This was fun to write - I should branch out more often. I dedicate this to my fellow tumblrer, shock777, who is having a shitty time with re-posters. I hope this makes you feel better or at least distracts you for a little while!**

 **-Jack**


	2. Chapter 2

**First Day 2**

 **What can I say? My brain spits out more stuff, I write it lol**

The five shinobi stood proudly before the Hokage. Shikamaru, Sakura, Sai, Hinata, and Naruto. Naturally they were all pleased - they had just saved the world, after all. That feeling only increased when Kakashi told them that the Daimyo of the Land of Fire had awarded them a sizeable bonus on top of their usual mission pay. Due to the unusually crucial nature of the mission, the meeting had a few more attendees: Hiashi Hyuga was there, given his own experience with Toneri; Shizune was there to attend the Lady Tsunade and Tsunade was there because she said so. Kakashi rose from his desk to speak to his shinobi individually.

"Shikamaru. Your leadership was exemplary on this mission, especially your work dragging Naruto to his feet," he said, glancing merrily at the blonde ninja who pouted silently. He wouldn't hear the end of this for a while.

"Sakura. Your dedication to your team is a credit to you and all medic-nin in Konoha. You saved Naruto and, by extension, saved the mission, and even talked a bit of sense into him while you were at it!" Sakura smiled gratefully. Naruto sulked.

"Sai. Your role as support in this mission proved to be invaluable. You had your team's back and I could ask no more. Well done." Sai only smiled politely, if tiredly. He really had begun painting immediately on returning home, inspired by Naruto and Hinata.

"Naruto. I know you had personal problems on this one... but, with your friends' help, you got back up and got the job done. Toneri was very powerful and extremely dangerous and I don't know if he could have been defeated without you." Naruto grinned at the praise. Kakashi stepped in front of the last member of the team.

"Hinata. You have impressed me most of all," he said, causing Hinata to blink up at him. "You went with Toneri even given your... exchange with Naruto. Separated from your team, you played along and gathered intel on your own, even moving to destroy the enemy's weapon. Even though that attempt failed, you led Naruto to it and then the two of you succeeded. And, even after all that, you managed to educate Toneri and make peace, despite all he had done to us and you personally. Well done, Hinata. Very well done." Hinata blushed a little under the gazes of everyone else.

"It was the only way I could think to get close to Hanabi... I did it for her, Lord Hokage," she said, perhaps feeling a little undeserving.

"I know that," Kakashi said. "And when you found her with her eyes removed, you kept your head and did your job. If you hadn't already located the Tenseigan, you and Naruto might not have found it in time to save us. You were all in a tough spot and you all came out the other side so don't think too much about what you could have done differently." The shinobi all smiled down at the floor - it was rare for Kakashi to praise people so openly. "Okay, that's enough, you're all dismissed." They all smirked - _that_ was much more typical. The five young ninja started to file out, followed by Tsunade and Shizune, though Hiashi stayed behind to talk more with Kakashi about his own encounter with Toneri's puppets. As they walked, Naruto reached out and offered his hand to Hinata but, just as she went to take it, Tsunade's voice rang out behind them.

"Hinata? I'd like to speak with you, if I may?" she asked. Which, as everyone knew, was the same as a command for Tsunade, even if she was retired. Hinata dutifully stopped and waited, though Tsunade glared at the still-present Naruto. "Alone," she insisted. Naruto opened his mouth to protest but Sakura appeared behind him and covered it with her hand.

"Let's just wait outside, okay?" she said, unwilling to encourage her mentor's temper. After they were gone, Tsunade escorted Hinata to a small, vacant office and shut the door with Shizune waiting outside. Hinata was understandable nervous. On seeing this, Tsunade smiled.

"It's okay, this isn't anything bad. It's just... necessary," she said. Now Hinata was more confused than apprehensive. "You know, I attended your father personally in the hospital," she explained. Hinata bowed.

"Thank you for taking care of him," she said, earnestly.

"Which means... I was in the room next door to his when you visited. I heard everything. _Everything_ ," she said. Hinata blushed, desperately trying to remember if anything incriminating had been said. "Hiashi said something to Naruto as you all left, something every father likes to say to every suitor. He _threatened_ him," she laughed. Hinata's eyes widened.

"Father threatened Naruto?! But... why?" she asked. Tsunade looked askance at her.

"You can't think of any reason why?" she asked. Hinata gulped and, after a moment, nodded.

"To protect me?" she said with a smile. Tsunade grinned and nodded.

"Exactly. And that's why we're here, though it seems moot. Still, it must be done..." Tsunade said before leaning in close. "Naruto is precious to me, Hinata..." she said, the threat remaining unsaid.

"I... I will treat Naruto well!" Hinata squeaked. Tsunade smiled again.

"I don't doubt it... but be patient with him as well. You've already waited a long time for him so I understand wanting things to go quickly, but Naruto's never dealt with feelings like this before. I know him and he would never want to break your heart, but it might take a few bruises along the way when he stumbles," she said. Hinata nodded thoughtfully as Tsunade leaned in with a suggestive leer on her face. "You might even need to take the lead, so to speak. You know, encourage him to... explore (wink) when the time is right." Hinata's blush almost outshone Tsunade's bright and amused smile. Almost.

Outside the Hokage tower, Naruto waited impatiently while Sakura watched in amusement.

"They're taking too long... what's Granny Tsunade doing to Hinata, anyway?" he grumbled.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Sakura insisted. "Lady Tsunade actually likes Hinata." Naruto snorted.

"Of course she does! Everyone likes Hinata," he crowed, a faint pink dusting his cheeks, getting a chuckle from Sakura. He glanced at her before smirking evilly. "I never asked: did you see Sasuke last night? Did you get to go all mushy over him? _Oh Sasuke, you're my hero! Oh Sasuke, you're so cute and_ OW!" Naruto rubbed at his nose where Sakura had just flicked with her finger, fortunately without employing her great strength.

"Shut your stupid face, Naruto! I didn't see him" she fumed (and lied!) before calming down. "And I wish you wouldn't call him that."

"What, cute?" Naruto asked, his voice pinched as he massaged his nose. Sakura folded her arms and frowned at him.

"No. My hero. He's come a long way... _we've_ come along way but we're not at that point. I don't know if we ever will be. After all, he's got a lot catching up to do," she explained. Naruto tipped his head in thought.

"Catching up? Someone else is your hero?" he asked. Sakura shook her head at him.

"You really don't know?" she said to Naruto who, as a boy, had rescued her from Gaara of the Sand and hadn't boasted of it. He hadn't even told her! She had to hear it from Sasuke. She saw the youth she had cried out for when Pain destroyed Konoha, and who had then appeared and beaten their attacker. She saw him see through her false confession before rescuing her from a disturbed Sasuke. She saw him dying on a bed of Gaara's sand as she kept his heart beating with her own hand, knowing how much they needed him. How much _she_ needed him. She watched him fight the seemingly unbeatable and win and she saw him attempt the supposedly impossible and succeed. And now she watched him wonder who she might consider her hero.

"Uhhh... Kakashi?" he tried. She smiled and chuckled.

"So dense..." she sighed as he started thinking again, though that line of thought didn't last long.

"Naruto!" The blond brightened on hearing the voice.

"Hinata," he breathed as she approached, giving him a quick, tight hug around the waist before releasing him and taking his hand instead. "I missed you," he said, grinning down at her while she giggled.

"Naruto, it's only been a few minutes!" she insisted. He closed his eyes and nodded sagely.

"Then that is exactly how long I missed you. Hinata... let's go on a date!" he said, his eyes open and filled with determination.

"A d-date?" Hinata squeaked.

"Yeah! Nothing too fancy, maybe just get some food or go for a walk or something. Just spend some time together, you know?" he said, excitedly. "We could go to... I mean, where do you want to go?" he asked. Hinata and Sakura both blinked at him, certain he had been about to suggest his favourite ramen stand. Hinata beamed up at him.

"How about ramen at Ichiraku's?" she suggested, eliciting an equally radiant smile from Naruto. Sakura stifled a giggle - they were too cute!

Suddenly, there was a cloud of dust as someone leaped from a nearby rooftop and landed with a thud before them. Instinctively, they all braced themselves for combat, though they quickly relaxed when their visitor turned out to be Ino.

"Hey, guys! I can't stay, I'm telling everyone!" she babbled. Sakura shrugged.

"Telling everyone what?" she asked.

"We're all here! Your teams, my team, Lee and Tenten, we're all here. With the state of emergency, missions were put on hold and we all came home. They resume tomorrow so tonight is our only chance to get together. Choji's already gone to book us in at Yakiniku Q at seven. Don't be late!" And with that, she was gone again, off on her quest to reunite the Konoha 11.

"B-but we were gonna... and she's gone," Naruto sulked. Hinata took Naruto's hand and squeezed it.

"It's alright, Naruto. Ino's right - with everyone here it's too good an opportunity and I'm sure everyone needs to unwind after a call that close. In fact, I might see if I can intercept Choji and include Hanabi. I suspect a distraction might do her good. I'll see you later," Hinata said, standing in front of him now. Naruto brought his other hand and held both of hers, his expression uncertain and his eyes wandering as he struggled to express the sentiment in his heart. He was happy to meet up with everyone when he thought about it. He was happy for Hinata to go and look after her sister... but at the same time he wanted them all to just go away. He wanted to be with Hinata and he wanted everyone else to just leave them be. Hinata just smiled at him - she had felt that way once or twice when she had spent time with Naruto in the past. She let go of his hands and stepped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. Naruto sighed and hugged her back, gently pushing her away so he could plant a kiss on her forehead before tipping her head up with his finger and following it with a lingering kiss on her lips. Dazed and blissful, Hinata stepped back, shook her head and leapt away toward Yakiniku Q. Naruto watched her go with a grimace.

"Crap," he grumbled. Sakura chuckled at him.

"Don't feel too bad Naruto, you two have plenty of time," she tried.

"I just... I need to do it properly, you know?" he said.

"What, be a boyfriend? You're doing pretty well, I'd say. After that goodbye, I think she forgot I was even here!" Sakura laughed. Naruto smiled but remained serious.

"I just want to do all that stuff: dates and presents and flowers. I want to get it right. I want... I want to fall in love with everything about her," he said, blushing, but he couldn't think of another way to say it. Sakura grinned at him, nudging him with her elbow, but she picked up on his anxiety.

"Ha! You big sap. I don't think you give yourself enough credit - you know Hinata pretty well already. After all, you've been close for a while, right? Maybe closer than you realise," she suggested, getting a frown from her friend.

"What do you mean by-"

"What's Hinata's favourite food?" Sakura said, ignoring his protest.

"Cinnamon rolls or zenzai," he answered without hesitation. "And she likes ramen, as it happens. She hates seafood, though. But what does that have-"

"What does Hinata like to do?" Sakura said, interrupting again.

"If you mean hobbies, she likes to press flowers," he said. His hand patted his pocket and he grinned. "And she knits. Where are we going with this, Sakura?"

"What's _my_ favourite food, Naruto?" she asked him, pointedly.

"Uh... nothing spicy," he ventured. Sakura smirked.

"You're right that I don't like spicy food... but you don't remember, do you? That's fine, it isn't important. When did you learn about Hinata's likes? Her hobbies?" she said.

"Well, after the war we sometimes met up at Ichiraku's and I guess she told me all that stuff," he muttered, his cheeks flushing as he realised just how much time he had spent alone with Hinata since the war.

"Remember the moment when the Infinite Tsukuyomi caught the Allied Shinobi Forces? When everyone got wrapped up by the Divine Tree?" Sakura asked, the change of subject blindsiding Naruto.

"Of course I do. You don't forget something like that," he answered.

"You know, Sasuke told me you almost left the protection of the Susano'o when that happened. He seemed to think you were planning on rescuing someone until he stopped you," Sakura accused. This had, in fact, come up in conversation with him last night, given Naruto's new relationship.

"Well... I..." he struggled.

"Were you going for Hinata?" Sakura asked, quietly. Naruto gave her an odd look - he hadn't thought about that moment for a long time.

"I think maybe I was," he whispered. "So what, you're saying I liked her all this time and didn't realise it?" Sakura shook her head.

"No, not that. I'm just reminding you that she's been important to you for a long time. Very important," she said. Naruto thought back to those days, remembering the look in her eyes when Neji died. She had saved him then, even as she wiped away her own tears. He remembered the memorial for the fallen, standing at her side and feeling helpless. Her eyes, normally so bright, had been different that day: diminished and numb, tracks on her cheeks telling of tears shed in private. He had stayed with her for Neji, partly out of some sense of duty and partly because the memory of his passing linked them together, no matter how painful it had been. He had walked her home, the pair of them lagging behind the rest of her family as her father guided a still-weeping Hanabi. She had turned to him when they reached the gate... she hadn't been able to smile at him. She thanked him sincerely, her voice cracking, and she turned from him just as the tears began to fall again. The Hyuga were the most powerful and the most private clan in Konoha - it seemed right that their grief should be behind closed doors.

"There's a woman I work with in the hospital, a retired medic ninja. Her name's Oyu," Sakura suddenly said, shaking Naruto loose of his musings.

"A woman you... huh?" he said, once again lost as Sakura changed subjects on him.

"She told me about her own team, once. They weren't exactly like us, nowhere _near_ as much drama!" she laughed. "But they went through some tough scrapes, some close calls. They were good friends. One of them, a boy called Jubei, was her best friend. They even ended up doing a few missions as a two-man team . Anyway, on one of these missions, they took shelter in a merchant town and, for the first time in weeks, got to sleep in a bed. Thing is, they only had enough money for one small room with one small bed. It didn't bother them, though, they had shared worse. Now, this is the interesting part - she fell asleep with her best friend... but woke up with the man she loved." Naruto was lost.

"What? Where'd her friend go?" he asked. Sakura laughed.

"Nowhere, Naruto! It was Jubei, but they'd ended up holding each other in their sleep. She woke up and saw what they'd done and... and it changed things for them. She fell in love with her best friend in that moment. For some people, like Ino, Shikamaru and Choji, or like Hinata, Kiba and Shino, their friendships are like family. But for others, like Oyu and Jubei, it's only one step away from something else, something romantic. Oyu took that step when they shared that bed".

"What happened to them?" Naruto asked. Sakura smiled sweetly.

"Jubei confessed the moment they got back to Konoha. Practically proposed, in fact. They got married, had a son, Oyu transferred to the hospital and Jubei got stationed in Konoha as a sentry. A happy ending," she said, leaving out the part where Jubei had lost an arm during Orochimaru's attack during the chunin exam. He worked in the tower now, managing shift schedules and mission classifications.

"You're saying Hinata and I are like your friend?" Naruto asked softly.

"Not exactly. After all, Hinata's loved you for ages, right?" Sakura asked, rhetorically. "No, I'm saying that you just took that step. I'm saying that, even though it's only a few days old, your relationship already has a solid foundation. Don't panic about 'doing it right' or 'falling love with everythiing about her'. I'm not saying don't have dates, you should absoloutely do that... but don't let anything get in the way of you both just enjoying the feeling of it all. Just be together, Naruto. Just be Naruto and you'll be fine." Naruto stared back at his friend and, under his gaze, Sakura flushed a little - she hadn't meant to talk so much. She only hoped she had helped him feel less overwhelmed.

"Thanks, Sakura. I get it. No trying to do things 'properly', whatever that means. Hinata loves me, so I'll do things _my_ way. I'll see you later, okay?" Naruto said, waving his hand as he left. Sakura smiled after him. As he walked, he reflected on some of Hinata's habits: the fidgeting (rare these days), the blushing (less rare), the way she stacked her empty ramen bowls so tidily next to his own haphazard pile... given their changed relationship, the old memories elicited new, warm feelings. Huh...maybe he already loved everything about her. He grinned...

He was going to enjoy making sure.

 **Well, this went a different way than I had planned. Whatever, I haven't the heart to delete it and it doesn't change the direction of the story, which I have apparently decided to continue. Hope you enjoy! ^_^**

 **-Jack**


	3. Chapter 3

**First Day 3**

Hinata strolled down a quiet street, looking up at the sky with a contented smile on her face. The sky was clear and blue, even if the temperature was still a little cold for her liking, and it reminded her, as so many things did, of Naruto. Her smile widened as the reality of her new relationship hit her again: she and Naruto were in love. She didn't need to dream when she looked up at the sky, now that she could just look into his eyes when she pleased. She laughed to herself as she pictured his pout when Ino accidentally torpedoed their plans, quickly followed by a blush as she remembered the kiss he had given her. She shook her head and reminded herself of her errand: she had caught up to Choji who had happily agreed to accommodate her, now all she had to do was tell the girl herself. But first, there was someone else Hinata felt the need to speak to, and so she turned left instead of right and made her way to them, smiling sadly when she arrived.

"Hello Neji," she whispered. "It's been a while. So much has happened, good and bad. Hanabi was hurt... badly. But she is well again, at least physically, though I wouldn't be surprised if there are some bad dreams around the corner. I think I would have nightmares too if someone took my eyes. Father was hurt also, but he's on the mend. I... I know you always spoke of destiny when we were younger, Neji, or were you just being fatalistic? I don't know. All I know is that it took me and Naruto to save everyone and, if you hadn't saved us both that day... Again, I thank you, Neji. Thank you for saving me." She knelt down and let her fingers rest on his name. "Naruto... he says he loves me, Neji. If I had died that day we might never... you gave me that, Neji. Thank you so, so much!" she said, her voice cracking and her eyes stinging. She cleared her throat and stood, bowing before the grave. "I'll come back soon. Maybe I'll bring Hanabi with me. She still misses you... almost as much as I do. Goodbye, dear brother."

* * *

Naruto walked with a purpose but no destination, quickly exasperating his friend.

"Naruto, what are we looking for?" Sakura whined as Naruto glanced around at all of the shop fronts.

"I need to get Hinata a gift. You know, for the Rinne Festival," he said.

"Ohhhhh," Sakura breathed. "Okay, let's go this way," she said, marching off with Naruto in tow. They arrived at a small store which, according to Sakura, sold kunoichi accessories, decorative and/or lethal. She happily perused some of the more eccentric items like a fan that had pockets for explosive tags or a purse that had a razor sharp wire concealed in the strap. Naruto, however, had homed in on his desired purchase almost immediately: a scarf. The idea of giving her the same gift she had intended for him appealed to him, especially given that the scarf was bright orange. He clutched the humble garment to his chest as he looked around for the merchant, marching quickly and making his purchase even as Sakura continued to browse. As he counted out his money, he noted a tray of tiny little clips and pins on the counter, almost laughing as he picked one from the many. It was _perfect_. He tapped Sakura on the shoulder with a grin.

"All done! Thanks for your help, Sakura," he said, cheerfully. Sakura blinked a few times as he left the store.

"Uh... you're welcome?"

* * *

Naruto walked down the street, trying to look relaxed but visibly anxious to get to the Hyuga gate before Hinata left. They hadn't made plans to meet before the gathering with the others but he thought he might give her the gift concealed by his jacket. As he walked, someone called his name from behind. He turned and grinned.

"Iruka!" he greeted, cheerfully. "I'd love to catch up but I'm on my way to-"

"Actually, that's sort of what I wanted to talk to you about. It'll only be a minute," Iruka said. Naruto nodded and turned his body to face his former teacher. "I heard about you and Hinata. I'm happy for you, Naruto." Naruto blushed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Hehe... thanks, Iruka," he chuckled. To his surprise, Iruka blushed as well, but didn't smile.

"Just know before I start this is as bad for me as it is for you but I had to make sure... do you need 'the talk'?" Iruka mumbled. Naruto shrugged at him.

"The talk? Talk about what?" he asked. Iruka groaned.

"You know... ' _the talk_ '," he tried again. Naruto just blinked. "The sex talk, Naruto!" Iruka whispered harshly. Naruto's face suddenly glowed red.

"W-what?!" he cried, prompting Iruka to shush him.

"I know you're already eighteen but you lived alone so long and I should have done this years ago or checked if kakashi had done it or-"

"Stop! Please, stop, Iruka. If you must know, Pervy Sage gave me 'the talk', as you put it, when we were away from Konoha," Naruto explained. Iruka cleared his throat.

"Ahem... including contraceptives?" he muttered. Blushing even more brightly, Naruto nodded. "Ah. Okay, then. Good. You should maybe just ignore the pamphlet I stuck under your door, then." Naruto groaned.

"Aaaaaaaa Irukaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" he wailed, getting a laugh.

"Sorry, Naruto, I just wanted to make sure, I guess," Iruka said, giving Naruto a long look. "So you really like Hinata?" Naruto looked at him, steadily.

"I do. Very, very much," he said, quietly. Iruka smiled.

"Good. Good. Well, what are standing staring at me for? Get going!" he said, laughing when Naruto suddenly took off down the street. He turned to head home. After that conversation... he needed a drink.

* * *

Night had fallen, and the temperature with it, and Hinata Hyuga and her sister Hanabi exited their home, both wearing winter coats. They had taken only a few steps when they bumped into someone.

"Naruto!" Hinata gasped, pleased to see him and wearing a smile that proved it. He grinned right back and fell in step beside her, Hanabi on her other side.

"I thought you might like some company on the way," he said, blushing a little. Hinata beamed back at him.

"You were correct, Naruto. Have you heard if you'll be assigned to a mission tomorrow?" she asked. Naruto shook his head.

"Apparently, getting your chakra completely drained a few times gets you a week of medical leave. At least that's what Kakashi called it. You?" he replied, veiling his apprehension.

"No. My... experience with Toneri's control jutsu gets me a week of leave as well," she said, flinching as she recalled being left motionless on his wall like a blasted ornament. She stopped suddenly when Naruto stepped in front of her, an excited grin on his face.

"We both have a week off?! This is perfect!" he enthused, though he cleared his throat and flushed under Hanabi's practiced unimpressed gaze. "Well... we can talk about that later, I guess. Let's go eat!" As they resumed walking, Hinata fidgeted for a moment.

"Um... Naruto?" she asked, getting his attention. "The others may ask about... well, about us. What should we tell them?" Naruto shrugged.

"We'll just tell 'em the truth," he answered, before giving it a little more thought and leaning over with his hand next to his mouth, whispering like he was back in school. "Unless it's embarrassing. Did I do something embarrassing?" Hinata giggled.

"No, Naruto. But I may keep some of the more personal details to myself," she reasoned.

"Oh, right," Naruto laughed. They were near Yakiniku Q by now and Naruto's face morphed into a sly smirk that he aimed right at Hinata. She laughed again, both at his face and at the joyous feeling that all of his behaviour was still so... _Naruto_ , even with her in the mix.

"We should arrive separately, make it a surprise. I bet Ino and Lee flip!" he said, rubbing his hands like a cartoon mad scientist. "You go first, I'll be there soon." Hinata went with it, guiding Hanabi before her and greeting her friends. Naruto suddenly realised he had forgotten to give her her present and swore quietly. A few minutes later, Naruto sauntered in and immediately regretted his scheme. Hinata was surrounded by Sakura, Ino, Hanabi and Tenten, meaning he couldn't sit with her or even close to her. She gave him a tiny, apologetic shrug as he sighed regretfully before taking a seat next to Choji.

"Hey, Naruto!" the Akimichi said, happy to see his friend and occasional binge-eating partner.

"Hey, Choji, how's it going?" Naruto responded, sliding into easy small talk with his friends.

Ino smiled around at her fellow kunoichi, having deliberately grouped them together to grill Hinata about her time with Naruto. They were so adorably oblivious - it was like a soap opera!

"So, Hinata, you spent days on the road with a certain hyperactive ninja... that must have been nice," she probed. Hinata chuckled, more out of politeness than anything.

"Sometimes... but the mission was actually rather-"

"Oh no... you didn't let pinky here hog all of his attention while you did all the work, did you?" Ino grumbled. Sakura grumbled right along with her but avoided confrontation so she could watch as Ino imploded when she finally learned the truth.

"No... No, that didn't happen," Hinata answered cautiously.

"Oh goody! So tell us: any news? Any tidbits? Any progress, Hinata?" Ino asked. Hinata cast a glance at Naruto: he was trading macho poses with Lee and seemed utterly unconcerned.

"Well..."

Naruto laughed as Lee demonstrated he had learned to shed a single tear on command and was about to ask if there was a name for the 'technique' when Ino _shrieked_ , making everyone jump. She immediately clamped her hands over her mouth and looked around at everyone.

"What? Nothing! Go back to whatever you were doing," she cried before turning back to Hinata, practically bouncing in her seat. Naruto smirked to himself.

"Tell me _everything_! Aaaaannnnnnd go!" Ino pleaded, her eyes sparkling. Hinata sighed and began to speak, wondering when their food would arrive. Naruto watched carefully - he wasn't an expert but Jiraiya had taught him how to lip-read during their journey. It came in handy sometimes, like when he was wondering what all of his female friends were saying about him. He missed a lot but struggled not to laugh as Ino's eyes grew wider and wider as Hinata spoke.

"... and then Shikamaru yelled we would hit the cave ceiling. Naruto just said 'I'm not stopping there' and blasted us right through into the air. Then... oh _then_... in the moonlight... we kissed!" Hinata breathed, her hands over her flushed cheeks. Ino screamed again, this time uncaring what attention it drew. Sakura had a hand over her heart - she hadn't seen the kiss. And what Naruto said before (though she thought maybe Hinata kept back a few details)... who knew the idiot could be so charming? Even Hanabi looked impressed! Tenten shook her head, though her own face was a little pink.

"Oh myyyyyy goddddd!" Ino hissed. "You guys are so _cute_! Any pet names? Any dates? Why isn't he sat with you?" she asked, rapidly.

"Umm... thank you, no, no and you sort of kidnapped me," Hinata laughed.

Naruto watched as Hinata laughed, her cheeks still pink. She was so _beautiful_... he had known she was even before this last mission and he remembered pausing to watch her once or twice at Ichiraku's as she would push her hair behind her ear to eat. He had caught himself staring and resumed eating, quickly forgetting about it all. Until now. He had stared during their investigation of the ruins on the Moon as well, but his words had failed him at the time. Had he ever told her? He had confessed his love and saved her life but had he ever even told her she was pretty? That he found her beautiful? No. And that wasn't good enough!

He stood and walked over, tapping Sakura on the shoulder. She smiled up at him and vacated her seat, letting him slide in next to Hinata. The others watched him closely, honestly a little envious of their fairy tale first kiss (not counting all of the danger and sorrow they went through to reach it) but he ignored them. He leaned close to Hinata, causing her blush to darken.

"Hey there, beautiful" he whispered, and then put one hand on her cheek and gently pressed his lips to hers. That... caused an _uproar_ , and not just from Ino. Lee stood on his chair crowing about burning passion, Choji stared open-mouthed, Shikamaru yawned, Sai took notes, Kiba cheered and laughed, Shino... remained silent, Sakura merely smiled, Ino _screamed_ , Hanabi laughed and Tenten joined her, clapping as well. The kiss ended and Hinata just stared back at him - he had called her beautiful and then kissed her in front of all their friends! At least if she ever suspected she had dreamed it all, she had lots of witnesses. Her shocked expression melted into a warm smile, and she wrapped her arms around Naruto, humming as he let his arm fall around her shoulders.

"Hey," she replied as she snuggled closer. Ino sighed - she and Sai had a good relationship but, for a moment, she wished he was able to make a grand gesture like Naruto. She glanced toward him and saw him scribbling away, no doubt sketching the couple in front of her while he could. She didn't blame him. The servers arrived with their food and the room filled with the smell of cooking meat. Choji insisted on supervising his table's food and Tenten watched the other. Sakura had taken Naruto's place at the other table, though she had them move around so she could sit with Sai and watch him draw. Her eyes widened when she saw it, something that Ino noticed as well. The chatter died down as they ate, everyone realising quickly that having Naruto and Choji on separate table was for the best, given their large appetites. There were a few glances at the new couple, still close and grinning, as well as a few slightly invasive questions that they answered vaguely. Hanabi laughed along with everyone, much to Hinata's delight. Eventually, the food was gone and all conversations started to wind down as time passed. The first to go was Lee - he had an early mission tomorrow - quickly followed by his mission partner, Tenten. Sakura left not long later, citing an early shift at the hospital, then Shikamaru and Choji, then Ino and Sai, finally leaving Naruto, Hinata, Hanabi, Kiba and Shino. They all stood outside the restaurant, saying their farewells when Kiba detected Naruto and Hinata's reluctance. He smirked to himself.

"Hey, Hanabi! Want to see Akamaru before you head home?" he asked. Hanabi had always been fond of the dog, even as she often pretended to find Kiba annoying. She smiled at Hinata, a question in her eyes, and Hinata understood with a start that she was being asked for permission.

"Um... if you want to and it's alright with Kiba, go ahead," she answered. Hanabi grinned brightly and ran off toward the Inuzuka household, followed by Kiba, who threw a wink and a smile over his shoulder at Hinata. Shino lingered for a moment.

"We will make sure she arrives home safely," he said before turning and leaving. That left Naruto and Hinata standing alone in the street. Despite his show of easy confidence earlier, Naruto found himself a little nervous.

"So... you maybe wanna take a walk or something?" he asked. Hinata beamed and looped her arn around his, holding herself to his side.

"That sounds nice," she sighed. The pair of them walked into the night, heading towards the training grounds.

* * *

Ino smiled as Sai held her to his side as they walked. She felt some regret that she had wished for him to make a grand gesture - that just wasn't Sai and it wasn't fair to want him to be different. She asked about the sketches he had made during the meal and without hesitation, he stopped and pulled out his sketchbook. She felt her eyes sting when he showed her the drawings he had done.

Every one of them was of her.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata talked about little things, about the reactions they got from their friends, about Kiba apparently appointing himself as their wingman, but for the most part they just walked and enjoyed their closeness. When they stopped on a leafy trail, however, Naruto felt a weight in the back of his mind. There was a bench nearby, so he took her hand and sat them both down on it.

"I... I know I said it before, but just so you don't think that was for everyone else, I really do think you're beautiful, Hinata," he said, shakily. Hinata gasped a little - she hoped she never got used to him saying that.

"Thank you, Naruto. I feel the same way," she said, before becoming flustered. "A-about you, I mean! I think you're very handsome." Naruto grinned and flushed. He had overheard some of his fan club mention him being 'cute' or even 'hot' but none of that measured up to Hinata's frank admission. That filled him with a very pleasant, heated sensation. He tipped his head and leaned in to kiss her, grinning as Hinata reciprocated. They separated for a moment, watching each other, before they kissed again. Up until now, their kisses had been tender, even delicate. This kiss steadily became more passionate, more needy, as their mouths opened and their lips moved across each other. Naruto, having been the unfortunate proof-reader of a certain legendary shinobi's literature, had learned a few things, at least in theory. He was debating whether or not to try anything when, to his surprise and immense enjoyment, Hinata's tongue slid into his own mouth. He groaned into the kiss and returned the favour as best he could. It was all new to both of them, a little awkward even, but the sensation was addictive to say the least. Naruto's hand slipped inside Hinata's open coat and found her hip, which he squeezed, getting a moan in return from Hinata. The kiss continued. Naruto belatedly realised he was now kneeling on the bench, his free hand on the seat as Hinata almost lay under him - the position filled his mind with ideas and he unwillingly thought of the pamphlet that waited for him at home. All thoughts vanished when he felt something snaking around his own waist. Hinata's hand explored him, drawing him even closer, and then moved across his clothes to his backside.

He froze for a fraction of a second, and then found himself moaning again as his famously shy Hinata _squeezed_! The kiss continued for several more frighteningly intense moments, before they finally stopped, breathing hard and staring into each other's lidded eyes. Naruto smiled down at her and she returned it. He pecked her lips a few more times, winding himself down, before starting to push himself up.

"You might have to move your hand for me to sit down, Hinata," he said with a chuckle. Hinata blushed and her hand immediately returned to her side. He sat down and took a deep breath. "So that was pretty awesome," he laughed. Hinata, now also sitting straight, laughed with him, wringing her hands as she debated something in her head. She decided to keep being completely honest.

"I've... wanted to do that for some time," she admitted, quietly, her blush deepening. Naruto's blush did the same upon hearing it, his smile broadening.

"Which part? The making out or grabbing a handful of my butt?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows at her. She looked up at him with pursed lips, though he saw the smile she was trying to hide, and lightly slapped at his shoulder in mock annoyance.

"Can't it be both?" she mumbled, getting a joyous laugh from Naruto, who then threw his arm across her shoulders, drawing her in close. She let her head fall on his shoulder - this was _bliss_. Naruto mumbled something and she blinked for a moment before turning questioning eyes on him.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Sorry? For what?" she whispered. He squeezed his eyes shut and gulped.

"For making you wait," he whispered, hoarsely. She shook her head.

"Don't say that, Naruto. You can't just decide when to fall in love," she replied, surprised at how easily she said it. It was fact now. Naruto loved her.

"Not that. You confessed to me years ago, when Pain... I should have said something," he said, slowly. Hinata, sensing he had more to day, remained silent. "I was scared, Hinata. I didn't know what to say to you. I didn't know what to do! And there was so much other stuff, the village repairs, the Kage summit, Sasuke being declared a rogue ninja... there was so much going on. And you were there and still supporting me... I guess I managed to talk about it during the war a little."

"You told me I had been strong. That I had saved you from Pain," she said, keeping him talking.

"Right. We... we don't have to talk about all that again. I tried to be there for you and you were there for me. After all that, after the memorial... when we started hanging out it all seemed fine. And so I thought I'd been let off, that I didn't have to say anything, that we were still friends and it was all okay. I'm sorry for that," he finally said.

"What would you have said to me, Naruto?" Hinata asked. Naruto blinked at her.

"I... I don't know," he answered, honestly.

"But we both know what you wouldn't have said. What you _couldn't_ have said... don't we?" she said. Naruto nodded guiltily. He hadn't loved her then. He would have been polite and remorseful and kind... but he would have rejected her.

"But-"

"Do you love me, Naruto?" she asked, thrilled by the certainty that filled his eyes when he answered.

"Yes," he said.

"Then I'm happy you made me wait. If you had told me you couldn't return my feelings back then..."

"You might have gotten over me? Loved someone else?" he asked, the words unexpectedly painful when he considered them.

"No," Hinata responded firmly, banishing the pain. "But I might have accepted that you wouldn't love me back. I might have stopped hoping. I might have never knitted you that scarf." Naruto's eyes widened at that - that scarf had connected them during the genjutsu trap and he had told Hinata that much on their journey back home so she understood it's importance. Through that he had finally started to truly understand how Hinata felt about him. Through that he had finally started to fall in love. He smiled and kissed her again, happily.

"What made you start knitting that thing, anyway? I gave you my ripped up one years ago," he asked. Hinata blushed.

"Well, we've been spending more time together lately, eating at Ichiraku's together and, more often than not, it's been just the two of us. I started to hope..." she said, quietly. Naruto's heart soared, glad she had thought him worth the risk of trying again.

"I'd like to think that, if you had given me that scarf, we might have ended up like this anyway," he muttered. Hinata slumped a little.

"No... when I saw your mother's scarf, I panicked and ran away," she admitted.

"Ah, Sakura would have found out for you, right? You would have given me that scarf, you're way too awesome to give up like that," he said, grinning and winking at her. Hinata chuckled and smiled gratefully, tipping her head up to place a kiss on his jaw. "Speaking of which..." At that, he reached inside his own jacket and pulled out a plainly wrapped package. He offered it to Hinata and she dropped it in her lap as she opened it. She laughed when she saw it: a scarf in bright orange, Naruto's favourite colour. She saw there was something pinned near one end and laughed again. It was a little round badge that bore the same spiral Konoha ninja wore on the back of their vests. Hinata knew it came from an old relationship with the Uzu village. With the Uzumaki clan. She hugged it tightly, feeling her eyes well up.

"Naruto..." she whimpered.

"I know it's late but I wanted to get you something anyway and-" his rambling was stopped when Hinata pressed her lips to his again. She pulled back and carefully wrapped the scarf around her neck, making sure the spiral badge was visible. She wiped her eyes and beamed at him.

"Thank you, Naruto. I love you," she said, softly. Naruto's eyes shone - he hoped he never got used to her saying that - and his heart swelled with warmth and profound gratitude.

"I love you too, Hinata."

 **So this is still happening. Hope you like it! Little bit for InoSai peeps as well ^_^**

 **-Jack**


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